The Art of the Theatre

” I have not written this book to attract young people to the dramatic art but to give them friendly advice and guide them by my experience.” Thus begins a master class taught by Sarah Bernhardt, arguably the greatest actress ever to grace a stage.

Timeless and surprisingly current, The Art of the Theatre, published after her death at age 78, is the final and most in-depth record of the great actress’ views on acting and the theatre. Here “The Divine Sarah” shares advice on everything from speech, movement, role preparation, vocal warmups, and make-up tips to why she preferred to play Hamlet instead of Ophelia. Filled with lively stories and gleeful gossip, The Art of the Theatre shows the intuitive and often humorous observations that were Sarah Bernhardt. She describes her successes, her failures, and the times she lived in with unflinching honesty and an approach to the arts that leaves no doubt as to why she is still considered today to be one of the greatest artists ever to have lived. Out of print and unavailable for decades, this rare book is only available in this audio format.